Adams loses appeal against Maze offences

Gerry Adams said he was disappointed but not surprised by the judges’ rulingPA

Gerry Adams is considering an appeal after legal efforts to overturn two convictions relating to his attempts to escape prison in the early 1970s failed.

The former Sinn Féin leader challenged the legality of two convictions in 1975 when he was detained without trial at the Maze prison.

His lawyers argued that the order used to intern him was not legal so he should not have been prosecuted for trying to escape from what they said was unlawful custody. They said that the order to hold him had not been considered by the secretary of state and was signed by a junior minister at the Northern Ireland office. They claimed the 1972 Detention of Terrorists Order required senior level authorisation.

Three judges rejected that argument…

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